The Mansfield Reformatory officially closed its doors in 1990 after housing over 155,000 men in its century and a half lifetime as an Ohio State prison.
But after hanging up its hat as a penitentiary, the prison’s glory days were far from over, and the reformatory shot to stardom in the 1994 Hollywood hit The Shawshank Redemption.
Since that time, it’s remained an attraction for movie buffs, prison lovers, and ghost hunters alike.
In honor of the film’s 20th anniversary, which is coming up later this month, we’ve compiled this slideshow of 27 awesomely eerie photos of inside and outside the prison walls.
Like what you see? Don’t miss the anniversary celebrations in late August (complete with tours, film screenings, and actor appearances).
This article appears in Jul 31 – Aug 6, 2013.
Dont see picks of the outside walls
It wasn’t in much better shape when I was there in 76. #98085.
My dad uncle n aunt worked there but my uncle works at the new one still
The outside walls,most guard towers, and outside buildings have been torn down years ago. Only thing remaining is the main administrative area and the east and west cell blocks. Much deteriation has occerred since its closing….
Closing day is not right. At the end of December of 1990 there were still around 500 inmates or so living there. That’s when the last big riot happened. Last inmates were transferred in January of 1991. R131-581
Also from what a friend told me when taking the tour the information given is from an inmate who was there in the 60’s and early 70’s. For a complete version of life in the OSR someone who stayed there in the late 70’s and 80’s could fill in the rest of the history and how bad it really got. The true life stories could be the basis for many real life horror stories. R131-581